Arena Football League tests Vegas waters for third time
Las Vegas was officially awarded an Arena Football League franchise Friday, the third time the city has been part of the AFL.
The Las Vegas Outlaws, owned by Motley Crue singer Vince Neil, will begin play next season as an expansion franchise. Where the team will play was not announced, and no agreement apparently has been reached with an arena.
“The opportunity came up to bring a franchise to Las Vegas, and that’s where I’m from,” Neil said in a video statement during media day for the ArenaBowl, which takes place today in Cleveland. “Every guy wants to be an outlaw, so why not give them the Outlaws?”
Neil is the latest rocker to join the AFL.
Kiss members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are among the owners of the LA Kiss, who began play this past season and are the subjects of an AMC reality show, “4th and Loud.”
Las Vegas is not exactly new territory for the AFL.
The Sting played at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 1994 and Thomas &Mack Center in 1995 before moving to Anaheim, Calif. The Gladiators then played in Las Vegas from 2003 to 2007, first at the Thomas &Mack and later at Orleans Arena before moving to Cleveland. The Cleveland Gladiators play the Arizona Rattlers for the league title.
“Las Vegas is a market that has always been in our plans,” commissioner Jerry Kurz said, according to an AFL news release. “It was just a matter of finding the right ownership group. We believe Vince Neil and his partners are that group, and we could not be more excited to now be able to bring Arena Football back to our great fans in Las Vegas.”
Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.
